Apparatus for attaching metal strips to sheets of wood, composition boarding, or the like



A. M. KAMPER May 21, 1935.

APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING METAL STRIPS TO SHEETS OF WOOD, COMPOSITION BOARDING, OR THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet l May 21, 1935. A, M. KAMPER 2,002,265

APPARATUS FOR ATTAGHING METAL STRIPS TO SHEETS OF WOOD, COMPOSITION BOARDING` OR THE LIKE Filed March 23, 1955 @Sheets-Sheet 2 May 21, 1935. A. M. KAMPER 2,002,255

APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING METAL STRIPS TO SHEETS OF WOOD, CQMPOSITION BOARDING, OR THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 53 53 "II 77a.

gg, 72) 75 Q4 o .i .4. z

4 'l um 8115 s1 '1/ 14 l'yja MMWWM May 21, 1935. A'. M. KAMPER Y2,002,265

APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING METAL STRIPS TO SHEETS OF WOOD, COMPOSITION BOARDING` OR THE LIKE Filed March 23, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 21, 1935. A. M. KAMPER 2,002,265

APPARATUS FOR ATTACHNG METAL STRIPS TO SHEETS OF WOOD, COMPOSITION BOARDING, OR THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1955 9 sheets-sheet 6 May 21, 1935. A. M. KAMPER 2,002,265

APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING METAL STRIPS TO SHEETS OF WOOD, COMPOSITION BOARDING, OR THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet -7 A. MA KAMPER 2,002,265 APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING METAL STRIPS TO SHEETS OF May 21, `19735.

WOOD, COMPOSITION BOARDING, OR THE LIKE 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed March 25, 1933 May 21, 1935. A. M. KAMPER 2,002,265

APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING METAL STRIPS TO SHEETS OF WOOD, COMPOSITION BOARDING, OR THE LIKE Filed MaICh 23, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Patented May 21, 1935 UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING A METAL STRIPS T SHEETS OF WOOD, COM- POSITION BOARDING, OR THE LIKE.

Application Merch 23, 1933, serial No. 662,400 In Great Britain April 2, 1932 18 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus of u the kind adapted to attach metal strip to a sheet cases, crates or drums of the kind comprising a number of panel boards or staves held together by metal binding strip. ln one design of container of this kind the metal strip is of channel section, or comprises a part of channel section, one of the limbs of the channel having the form of a series of teeth which are adaptedV to be driven into or through the edge of a panel board. in one method of constructingsuch containers, a number of panel boards are secured to metal strips While the boards are in substantially the same plane, and the boards are subsequently moved out of the common plane into the position they will finally occupy in the finished container, this relative movement of the boards being permitted by yielding of the connecting portions of the metal strips.

An object of the present invention is the'pro-V vision of apparatus for securing the toothed limbs of one or more such channel strips to a panel board.

A further object is to provide apparatus for securing one or more of such channel strips to a series of boards spacedlat predetermined intervals. s

A still further object is to provide apparatus which ensures that the channel strip and the panel board or boards Wlll'occupy a predetermined relative position after they have been secured together thereby. s

Yet another object is the provision of .apparat-us for securing two lengths of channel strip symmetrically to the oppositeedges respectively of a series of panel boards. Y

t is frequently .required to assemble containers comprising panels of diierent dimensions,` and accordingly another object of the invention is to whereby manual selection of the panels may be Y obviated. s 1 According to the presentinvention, apparatus of the kind set forth comprises means adapted to feed the metal strip and the sheet 'simultanev ously to a device for securing them together by the application of pressure, means being provided which ensure that the strip, when brought 5 into contact with the sheet, automatically occupies with respect thereto a predetermined position which is maintained While the strip and sheet are fed into the pressure device.

According to the invention in a further aspect, apparatus of the kind set forth comprises means adapted to feed the metal strip and a series of sheets to a device for securingthe'sheets insuccession to the strip by the application of pressure, wherein there are provided means adapted automatically to maintain each sheet in a predetermined relationship with respect to an adjacentsheet or sheets and to the strip untilgthe sheet thus located is secured to the strip by the pressure device. y l, 20

According to a further feature of the invention, apparatus of the kind set forth comprises means adapted to feed a plurality of metal strips and a sheet simultaneously to a device for securing the strips to the sheet by the application of pressure, a movable stop disposed in the path of each strip and a movable stop disposed in the path of the sheet, said stops being adapted to prevent admission of the strips and sheet respectively to the pressure device, and means adapted to Withdraw said stops simultaneously only when all of them are in contact with a strip or the sheet respectively. Y l

`The invention will be described, by way of example, With reference to the accompanying draW- 30 ings which show apparatus for attaching a pair of toothed channel'strips to the opposite edges of four rectangular Wooden boards forming ultimately the lid, back, bottom and front of a packing case, one limb of the ,charmer which is in the form of a series of teeth, being forced into the boards at such a distance from their edges that a groove is formed between the edge of a board and the adjacent limb of the channel for accommodation of the edge of an end panel of the case.`

In the drawings, Figs.lA, 1B, and 2A, 2B, are respectively a side elevation and a plan ofthe apparatus, certain parts. .being omitted-for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1A,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic View of the part of thestrip feeding gearing on the left-handside of the apparatus (as viewed from the end Where the strips are fed in) that is, rthe upper part as viewed in Figs. 2A and 2B,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the part of the board feeding gearing on the left-hand side of the apparatus,

Fig. V6 is an end elevation of a detail, l j

Fig. 7 is a part sectional side elevation of the detail shown in Fig. 6, l

Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively an under side plan and a side elevation to an enlarged scale of a part shown in Figs. 6 and 7,

Fig. 10 is a diagram of electrical connections,

Fig. 1l is an end elevation of a part shown in section inFig. 6, i Y

Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively an end and a side elevation of another detail,

Figs. 14 and 15 are respectively an end elevation and a part sectional side elevation of a further detail,

Fig. 16 is a view to an enlarged scale of a part of Fig. 14,

Figs. 17-21 are diagrams showing various stages in the feeding of boards.

` The apparatus comprises series of feed rollers for drawing the channel strips into thermachine and feeding them between rolling-in rollers which secure them to the boards, a plurality of band conveyors', the bands being in the .form of endless chains, for transferring boards in the required sequence from a pair of board hoppers to the rolling-in rollers, movable stops serving to control theadmission of .boards and channels to the rolling-in rollers, and, associated with the stops, guides and auxiliary pressure rollers serving to bring the boards and channels into the desired relationship and maintain them in that relationship while they are fed between the rolling-in rollers. l

I The apparatus includes a xed framework comprising side members l and 2 and end members 3 and 4 forming substantially an elongated rectangular frame. Adjacent to the side member 2 is tted an inner side member 5 slidably mounted on transverse rods- 'l and adapted to be slid towards and away from the member 2 by means of transverse screws ly suitably journalledY in the parts l and2 and-threaded in correspondingly screwed bosses on the part 5. Means for feeding the right hand and left hand strips into the apparatus are mounted respectively on the fixed frame member I and the movable member 5 whereby the gauge between pairs of strips can be readily adjusted.

The strip feeding mechanism (Figs. 1A,12A and 4) includes four strip rfeeding rollers d, 9, il? and Il mounted adjacent the movable frame 5 and four similar rollers 8b, db, leb and lib mounted adjacent the fixed frame member l. The rollers 8,817, Sl, 9b and lli, lb are journalled respectively on transverse shafts E and carried in bosses la, ilnl'ia, Hb and lila., 13b respectively, formed in the xed side frames and these shafts are also steadied by bosses i6, il and i8 respectively, provided in the movable frame 5. The rollers li Vand i'lbrare keyed to a shaft il journailed in bearings Ida, i9 and lb.Y rllhe'roller's 8, 9, lil and H are capable of being slid along the shafts on which they are mounted so that they remain at a fixed distance from the movable frame 5. .Y Co-operatingwitheach of the rollers 8, 8b, 9, 9b, and so on, is a loaded idler wheel ljournalled on a radius rod l2which is pivotallyV mounted on a pin l2" fixed-toV the adjacent frame member, the rollers l2 being of such a width that they engage the strip between the upstanding elements of the channel and maintain the base of the strip in contact with the tread of the larger rollers with which they co-operate.

Fixed to the rollers 8, Q, l@ and Il are chain sprockets 2G, 2l and 22, 23 and 2d and E15 cooperating with endless chains 25, 2l and 28 whereby the rollers 3, S and It are driven from, and at the same speed as the roller il. Similar chain transmission is provided connecting the rollers 8b, 9b, llb and lib.

After the strips have been drawn into the ma chine by the rollers just described, they are transferred to a second series of feeding rollers 29, 29h, Sii, SGb, 3l, lbinounted on shafts 29', 3d and 3i. The roller 2Q is fixed to a chain sprocket i6 and is journalled on a sleeve t@ which is keyed on the shaft 2S', journalled at Il? in the movable side frame 5 and retained by lock nuts G3, a spring d compressed between lock nuts 5 secured to the sleeve 4! and the side ofthe sprocket l5 serving tov urge the roller 29 into frictional engagee ment with a shoulder formed on the sleeve 4S. The arrangement is such that the sprocket and roller normally rotate with the shaft 29 on which they are mounted but are capable of slipping when the resistance oiferedvto their rotation exceeds a predetermined value.

Adjacent the fixed side frame E is arranged a similar slippable drive clutch for the roller 28h.

The shaft 2S is journalled in the frame members i and 2 and on its end are keyed two chain sprockets @2 and 63. The sprocket is arranged to drive a sprocket 64 keyed to the shaft H by a chain @t while sprocket is connected by a chain S5 to a sprocket @l keyed to the driving shaft il.

Thechain sprocket it which is fixed to the roller 29 drives thek roller through a chain 53 and a sprocket Il?, the roller Sil being journalled on the shaft 3d which is carried by the frame members. A sprocket d8 fixed to the roller 3d drives the roller 3l through a chain 5! and a sprocket GS, the roller Si being journallcd on the shaft 3l which is carried by the frame members.

The series of rollers Zeb, Stb and 3th adjacent the Side frame i are similarly arranged and therefore need not be described in detail.

(fo-operating with each of the clutch driven rollers just described is a spring-loaded wheel 52 journalled on an arm 52 which in turn is pivotally mounted on a bracket 5E mounted on the fixed frame member i or the movable member 5 as the case may be. A rod 5t secured to the appropriate frame member carries a helical spring --f' 55 which is compressed between lock nuts and the arm 52( and which serves to urge the wheel E2 into contact with the co-operating feed roller.

Near the end vof the machine where the strips are fed in is provided a hopper 16 for the front and back panel boards. This hopper comprises a standard 'lia mounted on the frame member 2 and a standard 'Hb mounted on the frame meinber l. These two standards are united by rods 'l2 andi3. A standard 'll is mounted on the movable frame member 5 and adapted to slide along the rods 'i2 and i3. Side plates "iii and lb are secured by screws l5 to the standards ll and 'i lb respectively. The front of the hopper is provided with membes i5 and b having pivoted lower ends 'il' and Til) against which the leading edges of the boards rest. Springs 18 and i812 tend to maintain the pivoted members in the configuration shown, but permit them to yield under abnormal pressure. The parts i6, lh, and il, 1lb

can be raised and lowered by adjusting screws 53 and 53h to suit various thicknesses of board. Betweenthe hopper 18 and the outlet end of the machine is provided a hopper 10 for the lid and bottom panel boards, arranged similarly to the hopper 19, corresponding parts of the hopper 18 being denoted by dashed reference numerals.

For the purpose of transferring boards from the hoppers to the rolling-in rollers four pairs of conveyors are provided, one chain of each being adjacent the movable frame 5 and the second chain adjacent the fixed frame I (Figs, 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 5).A Conveyors 82, 82h and 81|, 84h are fed by the hopper 19 while conveyors 83, 83h and 85, h are fed from the hopper 10. The top runs ofV these conveyors are accommodated in troughs 19 and 19D secured to the members 5 and respectively.A These troughs are interrupted between the hoppers 10 and 10 in order to allow chains 83,- 83b and 85, 85h to pass beneath the portion of the troughs under the hopper 19.

The conveyors 82, 82h, 84, 84h are driven by a shaft 86 connected by a sprocket 96 and a chain 91 to a sprocket 98 on the motor shaft. The conveyors B3, 83h and 85, 85h are driven by a shaft 81 connected by a sprocket 99 and chain |89 to a sprocket |||I on the motor shaft. The shafts 86 and 81 are journalled at 88a, 89a, 88h and 89h in the members 2 and I. Slidably keyed to the shaft 86 is a sleeve 95 journalled in a bearing 88 on theslidable frame 5. The inner end of this sleeve has the form of a disc 94 adjacent which is placed the sprocket 92 which drives the chain 84, the arrangement being similar to that of the corresponding sprockets 99h and 92h driving the chains 82h and 84b'on the opposite side of the machine, which are more clearly shown in Fig. 2 as the conveyor chains have been omitted.

Two friction discs |92, |93 are slidably splined to the sleeve 95 and a spring |94 retained by lock nuts |95 on the sleeve 95` urges the disc |93 against a sprocket driving the chain 82, the arrangement being such that the sprockets 99 and 92 normally rotate with the shaft 86 but either or `both are free to slip when the load on the conveyors exceeds predetermined value. Sprockets 9| and 93 driving the chains 83 and 85 are drivably connected to the shaft 81 by means of a slippable clutch similar to that described With reference tothe sprockets 90 and 92." The pair of sprockets 9|b, 93h on the opposite side of the machine areconnected to the shaft 81 by a similar slippable clutch;

The conveyors 82, 82h and 84, 841) supplied by the hopper 18 return roundidler sprockets |95, |061) and |91, |9117 journalled on a shaft |98 mounted in adjustable pads at |09 and' |091). The conveyors 83, 83h and 85, 85h are returned round sprockets II8, IIb and III, ||Ib journalled on a shaft I I2 mounted in adjustable pads ||3 and ||3b. The upper runs of the conveyors 83, 83h4 and 85, 85h are guided by idler sprockets journalled on a shaft II2. The lower runs of all the conveyors pass under guide sprockets journalled on a shaft H4. Y

To each conveyor chain is xed a pair of uniformly` spaced dogs, as shown in Fig, 5, these dogs being adapted to withdraw boards from the hoppers and slide them along the troughs, the upper surfaces of which serve as runways, into the rolling-in rollers.

A pair of fiat rails 8D, 80D are secured at one end by slotted arms 8|, 8Ib to the rod 13 on the `hopper 19,`their other ends'resting on pins 81,

adjacent to the hopper 19, which are curvedup- I- wards.

A second pairof rails 32, 32h disposed above the troughs 19 and 19h respectively are supported by means of pins 33 slidably fitted in brackets 34 attached to the frame members I and 5. Springs 35 urge the rails towards the troughs.V

Immediately beyond thelast pair of strip feeding rollers is disposed the stop mechanism Which regulates the admission of the boards and .strips to -the rolling-in rollers. This stop mechanism will be described with reference to Figs. 6-11. A transverse shaft ||5 (Fig. 1B) journalled in the frame members is connected (Fig. 2B) by means of a chain I|1 and sprockets H5 and ||8 to the shaft 29'. Thesprocket IIB forms the driving element of a clutch |I9. In Fig. '1 this clutch is shown diagrammatically, and the sprocket IIS is omitted so as to reveal the parts behind. Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, the hub I I6' of the sprocket IIS is journalled on a sleeve |90 keyed to the shaft ||5 and having a fianged end |99?.` A semicircular keyway |9| in the sleeve |99 houses a rotatable key |92 integral with a projecting arm,` |93 and journalled in the flange |99. The arm. |934 is urgedin a clockwise direction by a spring |94 housed in the flange |99. A number of recesses are formed inthe bore of the hub `I I8 so arranged that when the'key |92 is opposite ka recess |95 thekey` can be rotated by the spring |94 so that a shoulder |92' of the key engages with the recessand thus locks the sleeve to the sprocket. Thevprojecting arm |93, upon meeting an obstruction, isrotated relatively to the sleeve |99 so as to displace the key |92 until it is iiush `with the surface of the sleeve', whereupon the hub IIS can rotate althoughthe sleeve and shaft have been positively arrested.

, A bell crank lever I 20 (Figs. 6 and 7) `journalled on a pin |2| nxed to the frame member is adapted to engage the arm |93 ofthe clutch H9, while a second bell crank lever |22 journalled on a pin |23 and connected to the lever |29 bya link '|24 is also adapted to engagethe'arm |93. A solenoid |25 is connected by a link |25 to the lever l22in such a manner that when the solenoid -is energized the levers |22 and |29 are'drawn `out of the path of the arm |93. A cam |21 xed to the shaft I I5 is adapted to engage with an electricalplunger switch |28'and also with a pair of plunger switches |29, |29' diametrically opposed to the switch |28. A crank |30 on the shaft ||5 actuates a connecting rod |3I having a slotted eye |32 engaging with a pin |33 fixed in a lever |34 which in turn is fixed on a stop shaft 35 which extends from side to side of the apparatus.- An oblique endedprojection |36 fixed to the shaft |35 is adapted to engage behind an oblique ended bolt I 31 connected to a solenoid |38 in such a manner that Whenthe solenoid is energized the bolt |31 is disengaged from the projection'l and the shaft |35 is thus permitted to rotate' in an anticlockwise direction (Fig. '1). Pivoted to brackets attached to the shaft |35 are three stops. Two of these serve to prevent the strips from advancingthe right hand one (Fig. 6) being denoted by |39. A third stop |40 (Fig. 6) is similarly mounted and is adapted to prevent advance of boards. Acasting |4I bolted to the frame member and supporting the shaft |35 carries a pair of slides |42 and |43. The upper slide |42 carries a pin |44 on the inner end of which is journalled a anged auxiliary pressure roller |45 adapted to bear on the upper side of a board B. The lower slide |43 carries a pin |46 on which is journalled a grooved auxiliary pressure roller |41 adapted to locate a strip S in the transverse direction. A pair of diametrically opposed excentrics |48 and |49 are keyed to the shaft ||5 and'connected by means of'rods |53 and |5| respectively with the pins |44 and |46, the arrangement being such that when the shaft H5 is in the rangular position shown, where the arm |93 of the clutch is in contact with the bellcrank lever |29, the rollers |45 and |41 are far enough apartA from each other to allow a board B placed between them to move relatively to a strip S lying on the roller |41, while as the shaft |5 is turned through 180 so that the arm |93 is adjacent the bell-crank lever |22, these rollers are caused to approach each other and thus force the board into firm engagement with the strip.

A similar casting carrying a pair of pressure rollers actuated by excentrics is'disposed on the opposite side of the machine and the stop which is adapted to prevent advance of the left-hand strip is disposed adjacent to this casting. On each of the strip and board stops is formed an electrical contact, as at |52 in Fig. 7, adapted to engage with an insulated Contact |53 mounted on a bracket |54 carried by the shaft |35, so arranged thatthe contacts are normally open, but are closed when a strip or a board advances against the stop. The two strip contacts and the board contactrare electrically connected in series, the set being denoted by |52 in Fig. 10.

, An insulated contact |55 (Figs. '1 and 11) mounted on the casting |4| co-operates with a moving contactl carried by an arm |51 pivoted on a pin |58 iixedl to the casting |4|. When a board isin position between the rollers, the arm |51 engages with the upper surface of the board and the contacts are thus kept open, while when there is no board between the rollers the arm drops and closes the contacts. A relay switch |89 is provided for controlling the solenoid |25, the electrical 'connections between the various switches and the solenoids being shown in Fig. ID.

The casting |4| is provided with bosses |60 and |6|, (Figs. 12 and 13) which are bored to receive a pair of sliding bolts I 62, to the inner ends of which are fixed an angular guide rail |64 having an outwardly turned end |64 and adapted to locate the edge of the board passing between the pressure rollers. A longitudinal shaft |65 suitably journalled on the casing and actuated by a handle |65 is connected by cranks 61 with pins |68 iitted into holes bored through the rods |62.' As the handle |66 is moved towards and away from the centre of the machine the guide |64 moves correspondingly, the object of the arrangement being to permit the position of the edge of the board to be adjusted relatively to the strip, whereby the width of the groove formed between the edge of the board and the outer limb of the strip can be varied. A similar adjustable guide is provided on the opposite side of the machine.

The rolling-in rollers are accommodated in two housings |19 and |101) mounted on the frame members 5 and respectively. As these two sets of rollers are in general similarly arranged except for the fact that one is right-handed and the other left-handed, it will be suilicient to describe only the set carried on the movable frame member 5 and shown in Figs. 14 and 15. A driving shaft 11|, connected by a sprocket |12 and Vchain |13 to a sprocket v|14 on the motor shaft the board. The pinion |15 meshes with an idler Wheel |19 carried by a shaft li, the two shafts `|11 and |80 being journalled in a slide |8| which is urged downwards by springs |82. The idler wheel |1 meshes with a gear |83 xed to a shaft |81 journalled in a spring loaded slide |85 and to which is fixed the upper rolling-in roller |86. The driving gear wheel |15 meshes with a similar wheel |15 driving a train of gears |16', |19 and |83 similar to the above described train except that their spindles are all journalled direct in the housing. The gear |16 is xed to a. shaft |11 to which is keyed a wheel co-operating with the wheel |18, and the lower rolling-in roller H is rigidly coupled to the gear wheel |83. The periphery of the upper rolling-in roller (Fig. 15) is in the form of a cylinder having a flange |81 at the outer side thereof and in the cylindrical surface is formed a groove |88 arranged to provide a clearance space for the points of the strip teeth.

'he ratio of the gearing is such that the peripheral speeds of the rolling-in rollers and the toothbending wheels are equal and lower than the linear speed or" the conveyors and the peripheral speed of the strip feeding rollers.

The apparatus operates as follows:

A supply of boards for the back and front of the case is stackedin the hopper 1Q, and a supply of boards for the lid and bottom is stacked in the hopper 1d', each stack resting on the troughs 19 vand 191; (Fig. 17). The conveyors are adjusted so as to bring the dogs into appropriate relationship, as shown in Fig. 5, which illustrates the conveyors on the left hand side. The conveyors on the right hand side are similarly adjusted, so that the dogs on any left hand chain are level with the dogs on the corresponding right hand chain. The driving motor is now started, and a pair of dogs 83 on the chains 83 and 83h engage the lowest board in the hopper 16', and slide it under the members 11 and 11b and thence under the rails 32 and 32h towards the stop (Fig. 18). A pair of dogs |52 on the chains 82 and 8212 enn gage the lowest board in the hopper 1@ and slide it under the rails i3d and 8% which consequently are forced upward, as shown in Fig. 19, so that the boards in the hopper 1|l are automatically raised to allow the passage under them of the boardv from the hopper 1d. In a similar manner dogs on the chains 85 and 85h remove a second board frointhe hopper 15.3', and dogs 84 on the chains 34 and |1111) withdraw the last board of the series from the hopper 1|) (Fig. 20).

As the boards are pressed against the troughs by the spring-loaded rails 32 and 32h, the resistance thus imposed against their advance keeps them firmlyV pressed against the dogs, whereby any risk of their being displaced laterally is avoided. The leading board enters between the splayed ends |64 of the angular guide rails |64 which serve to centre `it accurately. As soon as the board reaches the stop 49 (Fig. 6) it is thereby arrested, and the clutches driving the chains 83 and 83h begin to slip. The second board now advances until it is arrested by its leading edge contacting with the dogs 8S i, hich maintain a predetermined interval between the first two boards, and the clutches driving the chains 32 `by the wheels |18.

`advance the boards at a lower speed than the and 82h now slip. n av similar manner the remaining boards are arrested so that the series of boards is assembled in irontV of the stop in predetermined relationship (Fig. 21).

Meanwhile two channel strips have been fed over the rollers 8 and 8b respectively and transferred by them and the succeeding continuously running rollers 9, It, and 9b, Ib, Hb to the groups of clutch driven rollers 23, 3G, 3| and 23h,

33h, 3|b respectively. If, say, the right-hand strip happens to be in advance of the left-hand strip, it will, be arrestedby the stop |39, and theeclutch driving the rollers 23h, 33h, 3|b`will slip. The lagging strip meanwhile continues tc `||9 now engages and the shaft 5 begins to rotate clockwise (Fig. 1), drawing the auxiliary pressure rollers together and thus forcing the leading board and strips into secure engagement.

Rotation of the cam |21 opens the switch |28 and thus de-energizes the solenoid |25, with the result that the bell-crank lever |22 rocks back.

into the pathof the arm |33 and thus arrests the Vshaft ||5 after it has turned. |83 deg. The cam |21 now closes the switches |29 and |29'.

l Switch |29 completes a circuit through the solenoid |38 and the stop contacts |52', with the result that the stop bolt |31 disengages from the projection |33 on the stop shaft |35 and permits the stops to be rotated by the pressure of the strips and board far enough to allow them to be fed forward to the rolling-in rollers, which cause the teeth of the strips to penetrate the boards, the teeth being iinally clinched over Since the rolling-in rollers maximum speed of the conveyors, the conveyor drive' clutches continue to slip and thus maintain succeeding boards iirmly pressed against' the dogs separating them from preceding boards;

each board is accurately centered as it passes between the guide rails |64 and is thereafter securely engaged with the strips by the action of` the auxiliary pressure rollers.

As the last board of the series leaves the p11-Cs- Ysure rollers, the contact arm |51 falls and closes the contacts |55 and |56, which complete a circuit through the switch |29' and the relay switch |89 so that the solenoid |25 is re-energized; the bell-crank lever |22 is thus disengaged from the clutch arm |93 and the shaft ||5 is again set in rotation. The further movement of the cam |21 opens the switches |29 and |29 and thus de-energizes the solenoids |38 and |25. As the crank |33 rotates it rocks the stop shaft |35 by the agency of the rod |3| and the lever I 34 until the bolt |31 re-engages behind the projection |36 thus resetting the stops; and the shaft ||5 is arrested upon the arm |93 engaging with the bell-crank lever |20 in readiness for the cycle to be repeated.

'I'he conveyor dogs are disengaged from behind the assembled boards as they descend round the conveyor; driving sprockets; and as soon as a dog is thus' released, the conveyor chain to which it is attached accelerates toits maximum speed; This ensures that amplerintervals are left between the second dogs on the` several conveyors for the next series of boards to beengaged between them in the succeeding cycle of operations; i

The apparatus may be associated with a machine for making successive pairs of strips and delivering them into the strip feeding rollers at suitable intervals, in which case it will continue automatically to deliver assembled sets of boards and strips so long'as the hoppers contain boards.

I claim: Y i

l. Apparatus ofthe kind set forth comprising a device .for securing a metal strip to a sheet by the applicationof pressure, a hopper adapted to contain a supply of sheets of one size, a runway leading from saidhopper to said pressure device, a band conveyor1 Vfor transferring sheets along said runway, a second hopper adapted to contain.

sheets of another size anddisposed above said runway, a second band conveyor disposed parallelto saidiirst-mentioned conveyor for transferring sheets from said second-mentioned hopper to said pressure device, andmeans which Y serve automatically toY raise the sheets contained in said second-mentioned hopper so as to allow the passage thereunder of a sheet from said rstmentioned hopper.

`2. Apparatus of the kind set forth comprising a device for securing a metal strip to a sheet by the application of pressure, a plurality or" parallel band conveyors each adapted to transfer sheets to said pressure device, dogs attached to said conveyors and adapted to engage behind a sheet and to serve as distance pieces between sheets transferred by different conveyors, a mov- Vable stop adapted to prevent admission of the sheets to said pressure device, and an individual drive including a slippable clutch for each coni veyor, whereby a series of sheets can be assembled at predetermined intervals preparatory to admission of the series to said pressure device.

3. Apparatus of the kind set forth'comprising a device for 'securing metal strips to a sheet by the application of pressure, means adapted to feed a plurality of metalstrips and a sheet simultaneously to said pressure device, a movable stop disposed in the path of each strip and a movable stop disposed in the path of the sheet, said stops being adapted to prevent admissionof the strips and sheet respectively to the pressure device,`and means serving to prevent withdrawal of said stops until all of them are in contact with a strip or the sheet respectively.

4. Apparatus of the kind set forth comprising a device for securing metal strips to a sheet by the application of pressure, means adapted to feed a plurality of metal strips and a sheet simultaneously to said pressure device, a movable stop disposed in the path or" each strip and aA movable stop disposed in ,the path of the sheet, said stops being adapted to prevent admission of the strips and sheet respectively to the pressure device, and means serving automatically to withfeeding each of a plurality of strips simultaneously to said pressure device, a movable stop disposed in the path of each strip, a common driving shaft and a coupling device connecting each `of said strip feeding means to said common driving shaft, said coupling device beingof such a. nature as to permit one strip, to be advanced While another has been arrested,

6. Apparatus of the kind set forth comprising a device for securing metal strips to a sheet by ythe application of pressure,y separate means for feeding each of a plurality of strips simultaneously to said pressure device, a movable stop. disposed in the path of each strip, a common driving shaft and an individual drive including a slippable clutch connecting each of said strip-feeding'means to said common driving shaft.

7 Apparatus of the kind set forth comprising a device for securing a metal strip. toa sheet by the application of. pressure, means for bringing the strip and the sheet into contact with each other in predetermined relationship, and thereafter feeding them simultaneously into said pressure device, a movable stop disposedvon the entry side of said pressure device in the path of the strip, a pair of fio-operating rollers adapted-to bear on the strip and sheet respectively so. as to. press them together preparatory to their being secured together by said pressure device, and means adapted, upon a strip contacting with said stop, automatically to increase the pressure with which said rollersY bear on the strip 'and sheet.

8. Apparatus of the kind set fcrth'comprising a device for securing metal stripsto Va sheet by the application of pressure, means for feeding a plurality of metal strips and a sheet simultaneously into said pressure device, a `movable stop disposed in the path of each strip and a movable stop disposed in the path of the sheet7 said stops being adapted to prevent admission of the strips and sheet respectively to the pressure device, co-operating rollers adapted to press the strips against the sheet preparatory to their being secured t0- gether by said pressure device, and means for releasing said stops and increasing the pressure applied by said rollers between the strips and the sheet, said last-mentioned members being adapted to operate automatically only when all of said stops are in contact with a strip or the sheet respectively. I

9, Apparatus of the kind set forth comprising a device for securing a toothed metal strip of channel section to a sheet by the application of pressure, means for feeding the lstripand the sheet intosaid pressure device, guiding means serving tolocatethe strip transversely to its direction of motion into said pressure device, and guiding means adaptedto locate a sheet transversely to its directionv of motion into said pressure device, said pressure device serving to'forcev a toothed v'limb of the strip intothe sheet vso as to form a groove between the edge ofthe sheet and the adjacent limb of the strip, the said strip-guiding means and said sheet guiding means being relatively adjustable whereby the width of said groove can be varied.

10. A pressure device adapted td secure a strip of channel section, a limb of which is in the form of a series-of aligned teeth, to a sheet by causing the` teeth to be driventhrough the sheet, said pressure device comprising a pair of co-operating rollers adapted to bear on the stripand sheet respectively, there being proividedin the periphery of the rollerV that bears on the sheet agroove arranged to accommodate the points of theteeth.

1,1, Apparatus of the kindset forth comprising apressurevdevice including a pairof coop-.

eratingrollers adaptedv to secure to toothed metal strltto,4 a seriesl of, sheets by the applicationof pressure, a plurality of conveyors each adapted to transfer sheets to said pressure device, dogs attached to said conveyors and adapted to engage behind a sheet and to serve as a distance piece between sheets transferred by different conveyors, an individual drive, including a slippable clutch, for each conveyor, a common driving shaft and transmission gearing connecting said driving shaft to said conveyor drive clutches and to said rollers in such ratios that the maximum linear speed of said conveyors exceeds the peripheral speed of said rollers.

l2. Apparatus for delivering a series of sheets, comprising a hopper adapted to contain a stack of sheets, a runway, a band conveyor having dogs thereon said dogs serving to' withdraw sheets from said hopper and slide them along said runway, a second hopper disposed above said runway and adapted to contain a stack of sheets, a second band conveyor having dogs thereon, said dogs serving to withdraw sheets from said secondmentioned hopper and slide them along said runway, a pair of rails disposed under said second mentioned hopper and. longitudinally of said runway, the ends of said rails facing the direction of motion of the sheets being inclined upwards, and means for supporting said rails while permitting a limited displacement thereof Whereby a sheet conveyed from said nist-mentioned hopper along said runway when forced under the upwardly inclined ends of said rails causes said rails and the sheets contained in said second-mentioned hopper to rise clear of said runway.

13. In apparatus of the kind set forth, a device for securing a metal strip to a series of sheets by the application of pressure, a pair of parallel endless chain conveyors for feeding a sheet into said pressure device, a dog on each of said chains for engaging behind the sheet and serving as a distance-piece, a second pair of endless chain conveyors, disposed parallel to said rst pair, for feeding a sheet to said pressure device, a power driven shaft, and gearing for transmitting power from said shaft to said conveyors, said gearing including a slippable clutch associated with each of said pairs of conveyor chains and serving as the sole means of transmitting power from said shaft to the pair of conveyor chains driven thereby.

14. Apparatus for attaching a metal binding and hinging strip to a series of sheets to form a folding-box blank, comprising a device for securing the strip to the sheets by the application of pressure, a hopper adapted to contain a supply of sheets of one size, a second hopper disposed between said first-named hopper andsaid'pressure device and adapted to contain a supply of sheets of another size, at least one band conveyor leading from each of said hoppers to said pressure device, each of the bands of said conveyors having dogs adapted to engage behindsheets and spaced at an interval exceeding the length of the box.

blank, a movable stop in the path of the sheets on the entry side of said pressure device, and an individual drive for each of said conveyors, said drives .including clutches which enable the leading sheet of the series to be arrested -by said stop while a following sheet is still beingadvanced.

l5. Apparatus for attaching a toothed metal binding and hinging strip to a series of sheets lof said series, and, arranged along the path of said strip and sheets, an auxiliary pressure device capable of forcing the strip teeth into preliminary engagement with the sheets, a pair of co-operating rollers capable of bearing on the strip and the sheets respectively and so spaced as to drive the strip teeth right through the sheets, the roller that bears on the sheet having a circumferential groove serving to accommodate the points of the strip teeth, and means for clenching over the protruding points of the strip teeth.

l5. Apparatus for attaching a toothed and anged metal binding and hinging strip to a series of sheetsof penetrable material to form a folding-box blank, comprising a pair or cooperating rollers rotatable about parallel axes and so spaced and arranged as to be capable of driving the strip teeth fully home into the sheets, means for containing a supply of sheets, a conveyor system for withdrawing sheets from said supply means and assembling a series of sheets for one box blank into a predetermined position on the entry side of said rollers, so that said sheets lie end to end in substantially the same plane, means for feeding a length of strip, corresponding to the length of one box blank, into a position adjacent to said predetermined position of the series of sheets, and means which operate automatically, as a result of said strip and said series of sheets coming into juxtaposition, to feed said strip and said series of sheets between said rollers in one continuous rolling operation.

17. Apparatus for attaching a toothed and flanged metal binding and hinging strip to a series of sheets of penetrable material to form a folding-box blank, comprising a pair of rollers rotatable about parallel axes and so spaced and arranged as to be capable of driving the strip teeth fully home into the sheets, means for assembling, on the entry side of said rollers, a series of sheets for one box blank, arranged end to end in substantially the same plane, together with a strip lying adjacent to said sheets and for feeding the assembled sheets and strip between said rollers, a stop movable into and out of the path of said strip on the entry side of said rollers,

an auxiliary pressure device disposed on the side iary pressure device by varying the spacing of said elements, and control mechanism which operates automatically, after said strip and said sheets are in juxtaposition, to actuate said power driven means so as to close said auxiliary pressure device and to withdraw said stop so as to permit the feeding oi the strip and sheets between said rollers.

18. Apparatus for attaching a toothed and iianged metal binding and hinging strip to a series or sheets of penetrable material to form a folding-box blank, comprising a pair of co-operating rollers rotatable about parallel axes and so spaced and arranged as to be capable of driving the strip teeth fully home into the sheets, a movable stop on the entry side of said rollers, means for feeding a length of strip corresponding to the length of one box blank towards said rollers and into such a position that the leading end of said strip abuts against said stop, means for assembling a series of sheets for one box blank, arranged end to end and lying adjacent to said position, and means which operate automatically, asia result of said Strip and said series of sheets coming into juxtaposition, to move said top out of the path of said strip and to feed said strip and said series of sheets between said rollers in one continuous rolling operation.

MATHIS KAMPER. 

